


Bowl-a-Rama

by lycomingst



Category: The Bourne Legacy (2012), The Heat (2013)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 07:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14515143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lycomingst/pseuds/lycomingst
Summary: An encounter that occurs before the events in The Heat.





	Bowl-a-Rama

**Bowl-a-Rama**

When he was in a city he looked for things to do that didn’t draw attention. That’s why he liked the more scruffy bowling alleys. Not too many cameras, everybody focused on their own pursuits. If there were a guard, he was usually talking to the girl giving out the shoes or daydreaming about his next break. 

Aaron didn’t always bowl; it surprised him he wasn’t better at it. Often he just watched. 

Today he was at the long counter behind the alleys, behind where the bowlers sat, nursing a beer and passing time. 

After a while a man sat down two stools over. He sipped his beer, his attention turned away from Aaron, toward a clump of people at the end of the alleys. When he turned back toward the alleys Aaron could see he was not as young as he dressed. And his clothes were a bit too big for him, his shoes, those expensive basketball ones that had been worn hard. Aaron sized him up and decided he was harmless. 

They sat side by side for a while and then the guy started a conversation. “I bowled a perfect game here once.” 

“Oh, yeah? Had a good day, huh?” Aaron didn’t mind bullshitting with a stranger. His life led to a a lot of alone time. It was good to keep contact with people. 

“The best. Got free drinks and stuff. Wish I could do it again.“ 

The talk went back and forth for a bit, Aaron feeling that most of what he was hearing was an exaggeration of what really happened. The guy seemed to be well-known; several knots of people called out, _Hey! Jason_ as they walked by.

Aaron could tell he was _that_ guy. The one everybody in the neighborhood knew and most liked him. Friendly. Easy to persuade to do something stupid.

Their attention was caught by rowdy whoops from the group at the end of the room.

“That’s my family, they’re loud and they all talk at once so I offered to go get some beers. It’ll be a while before they notice I didn’t come back” 

“The one with the wild hair, she’s noticed you,” Aaron pointed out. “She keeps looking over here.”

“That’s my sister. She’s a cop. She thinks I’m buying drugs.”

“Oh.” 

They were both quiet for moment or two then Jason said, “You have any?”

“No, sorry.“

“That’s okay.”

Jason looked over to his family again. “Oh, crap, she’s coming over here.”

She slid onto the stool to the left of her brother so she could see both of them. 

To Jason she said, “Where’s the beers?”

“I didn’t have any money.”

She glared at the one he had cradled in his hand and then at him. “I didn’t have _enough_ money.”

Aaron thought the sigh she gave out was of resignation, “I can buy the beers.”

“Great.” His tone said he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“But you gotta take Mom to church tomorrow. ‘Cause I have to work.”

“Awww…”

“And bring her back.” 

“She always wants to talk to people.” 

“Yeah, too fucking bad.” 

Jason’s face scrunched up but then he said, “Okay, but you gotta buy nachos, too.” 

Aaron was enjoying the family negotiations when the woman’s attention suddenly turned to him and she leaned forward a little. She gave a hard, cop stare; she’d remember him if they met again. “You not bowling? I don’t remember seeing you here before. You know Jason?” 

Aaron made a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. “My date cancelled after I got here so I’m just hanging around.”

Her brother intervened, “Will you stop interrogating people! It’s like an episode of Law & Order with you all the time.”

“I’m just talking to him.” 

“Yeah, you’re always just talking. Are you going to buy beers or what?” 

She got up and headed back to the refreshment counter without saying anything more. Jason turned to Aaron “She thinks she’s J. Edgar Hoover. See ya.” He stood and trailed after his sister. 

Aaron thought it was time he was leaving. He gulped the last mouthful of beer and kept hold of the cup, littered with his fingerprints and DNA. He’d drop it in a random dumpster as he walked back to the place he was staying. Just a precaution.


End file.
